The 2017 X15 Efficiency series engine delivers better fuel economy than previous versions thanks to reduced friction between parts and systems but it also includes innovations to throttle response and engine braking.

Volkswagen Truck & Bus is taking a 16.6% equity stake in Navistar International Corp. as part of a “wide-ranging strategic alliance” that will initially focus on providing powertrains for Navistar trucks starting in 2019.

Daimler Trucks North America's new Detroit DD5 engine will begin production in October. The four-cylinder engine offers several benefits over competitive medium-duty engines, including maintenance intervals, fuel economy and durability.

Cummins officials say their next-generation X15 heavy-duty diesel series will offer new value through economy, performance, reliability and support when it replaces existing ISX15 models in January 2017. A year later, a new X12 will supersede the current ISX12.

As engine platforms go, Cummins' ISX has to be considered slightly remarkable. It survived the transition to EGR and then to SCR aftertreatment -- while several other engines did not -- and it's still very much alive and kicking today.

In Part 1 of this Focus On... video series, equipment editor Jim Park test-drives a 2016 ISX15 engine examining some of its current features, including the ADEPT Technology Suite. In Part 2, we will examine the engine's 2017 replacement, the X15, which will build on these features and others.

Paccar’s 10.8-liter MX-11 diesel became available in January in Peterbilt and Kenworth heavy trucks. It claims strong power and torque, and is a lightweight alternative to the larger MX-13 and Cummins ISX12. Kurt Swihart, Kenworth’s marketing director, discusses the MX-11 and its applications.